Tanya from 52 books or bust

Today please welcome Tanya, who blogs at 52 books or bust.

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What's the meaning behind the name of your book blog?

For years the footer at the bottom of my emails was '52 books in 52 weeks or bust'. People really seemed to respond to it, so when I started my blog I decided to go with it. The only problem with it is that I started the blog after becoming a stay-at-home mom and since then I read way more than 52 books a year. Oh well, someday things may change and I will be reading less.

How long have you been blogging?

I've been blogging for almost a year (November). It's a good way for me to talk about books to people who care and keep track of what I've read.

Tell us a bit about your book blog. What makes it unique?

I do almost exclusively book reviews on my blog. I try to end each review with recommendations for other books to read if you liked this one and suggestions for who would like the book even if I didn't. I'm very open to the fact that every book has it's audience and it might not always be me!

What genres do you write about most, and why?

I write mostly about literary fiction. This had always been my passion. It makes me a bit of a book snob, a habit I'm trying to break. 

What's your earliest memory of reading?

I remember snuggling on the love seat in our living room when I was 5 or 6 and reading Charlotte's Web with my mom. Even now that is my favorite place to read.

What was the first book you read over and over, or the book you've reread the most?

The Anne of Green Gables series is one that I always have come back to. I can't wait to read it again with my daughter. In stark contrast to that is Franny And Zooey by JD Salinger. I read it so many times in high school and university. I always carried a copy with me. A bit pretentious, I know.

Writing in books: Yes or hell to the no?

Sacrilege!

What's your favorite place to read?

In bed, for hours past my bedtime.

Finish the sentence: My bookshelves are...

really quite empty. We just moved to the UK and most of my books are in boxes back in Canada.

My TBR pile is...

overwhelming. So many books, and more are published every day. I will never catch up!

What's a book that's changed your life?

A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving. Sometimes the right book at the right time can make a real difference.

To DNF or not to DNF?

Tough question. It is in my nature to always finish. It's another habit I'm trying to break. There are just too many good books out there to spend time reading one that isn't working.

What are 3 of your must-read blogs?

River City Reading
The Gilmore Guide to Books
Literary Hoarders

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Thank you for joining us today, Tanya! Remember to check out Tanya's blog, 52 books or bust, and leave a comment or question.

Virginia Voelker from The Literary Brigand

Today please welcome Virginia Voelker, 

who blogs at The Literary Brigand.

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What's the meaning behind the name of your book blog?

I liked the visual of somebody laying in wait deep in the library to ambush people with books. And a cutlass. You have to have the cutlass. Possibly held between your teeth.  

How long have you been blogging?

Just over two years.  

Tell us a bit about your book blog. What makes it unique?

I'll read pretty much anything. If I think it's interesting in some way I'll review it. Genres and age don't deter me. As far as I'm concerned a well written book is a well written book, and even a badly written book can be very interesting.      

What genres do you write about most, and why?

Fiction, Mystery, and Science Fiction are the genres that seem to draw me the most. I think I tend towards those areas because they can be the most formulaic but also the least formulaic.  

What's your earliest memory of reading?

I had a fourth grade teacher who handed us a reading list at the beginning of the school year, and pointed us toward the library. We had to give him a certain number of oral book reports by the end of the year. I was horrified. I don't think I'd ever read a chapter book by myself before. Then "The Witch of Blackbird Pond" captured my imagination, and I never looked back. Best assignment ever.  

What was the first book you read over and over, or the book you've reread the most?

"Little Women" was the first book I read over and over, and is probably the book I've reread most over the years. "Anne of Green Gables" has to be a close second. I had a friend in elementary school named Kristen. She got me started on the Anne series, and so many other books. She also taught me all the etiquette that goes with borrowing books. No bent pages, no spills, no broken bindings. She was a life saver even at 11. It's so hard to be a reader in a family of non readers. I'm pretty sure she lent me my first bodice ripper in high school too. We lost touch long ago but I always expect to run across her book blog one day. She had great taste.  

Writing in books: Yes or hell to the no?

Yes, but only if you're loaning it to someone, and only in pencil.  

What's your favorite place to read?

Curled up in bed. Three pillows, one sheet, one blanket, one glass of wine, and stack of books.  

Do you have any reading accessories you can't do without?

Besides my library card?   

Finish the sentence: My bookshelves are...

lagging behind their work load.  

My TBR pile is...

two feet four inches tall at this moment. Which is good because my bedside table has a functional height limit of three feet two and a half inches. Please don't ask how I know that.  

What's a book that's changed your life?

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. This was probably the first "classic" that I picked up and read on my own rather than for a school assignment. I have read many others since then. But this one was my gateway drug, if you will. It made a lot of other books seem like they might be interesting. Without Doyle I never would have read H. Ridder Haggard, or Dumas, or possibly Austen and the Brontes. And that would have been sad. 

One book you like that no one else seems to, or vice versa?

The whole Ya Ya Sisterhood thing left me cold. Twilight too.  

To DNF or not to DNF?

I'm a big fan of the skim. I'll at least look at the last few pages.  

What's one book that intimidates you?

 "A Hundred Years of Solitude" by: Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Actually really all of Marquez. I have tried. I just can't.  

If you could go to any literary destination, where would you go?

The Gladstone Library Bed and Breakfast in England. Trying to talk my husband into it someday soon.  

How about non-book related hobbies? What do you do when you don't feel like reading?

Mostly right now I knit, and I play video games. There used to be more, but being a parent has focused my energy.  

What's your least favorite book to movie adaptation?

Disney's "The Hunchback of Notre Dame". I hate it with a passion.  

What are 3 of your must-read blogs?

Lady with Books
Scandalous Women
Craft

What is your reading personality? (via quiz at http://www.bookbrowse.com/quiz/)

Eclectic Reader. Not really surprised by that.  

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Thank you for joining us today, Virginia Voelker! Remember to check out Virginia's blog, The Literary Brigand, and leave a comment or question.

Bloggiesta Challenge: Book Blogging Heroes

Bloggiesta has arrived and the team here at Book Bloggers International is joining in the challenge fun! What is Bloggiesta, you might be asking? It’s a blogging fiesta! where bloggers get together for the weekend to work on their blogs, eat Mexican food, and wear sombreros (sombreros optional). If you want to join in—and you know you do—just visit the Bloggiesta site for more info and to sign up.

Now onto the challenge...

One of the best ways to help in building an audience for your own blog is to network with other bloggers, whether it may be in commenting on other blogs or interacting via social media.

Book Bloggers International also brings those connections to you, highlighting book bloggers around the world in one general location. Every Tuesday and Thursday, we highlight a different blogger, either through a set of interview questions or through a guest post. We also bring you different blogging tips once a week to help bring you resources that can assist you in your blogging world.

For this challenge, we want to focus on this networking. And because networking can occur in a variety of ways, we have a couple of options for you for the challenge . . .

Option 1: Using our tag cloud on the right OR the Bloggiesta participant list, find three (3) bloggers that are new to you and comment on their blogs. When you have completed the challenge, come back here and let us know who the three (3) lucky bloggers were in the comments section. If you choose to write a post about your new blogger friends, then feel free to link up in the linky below.

Option 2: Write a post featuring a blogger that has influenced or impacted you in your own blogging. Share with your readers how they have influenced you and don’t forget to let them know that you have chosen them. When you have completed the challenge, come back here and leave us the direct link in the linky below.

Choose one option or the other OR do both! The point is to network and help spread the blogging love. 

If you want to get in on the action here at Book Bloggers International, we are currently accepting feature submissions. Simply visit How To Be Featured and we will be in contact with you soon!

Kristin Shafel Omiccioli of my little heart melodies

Today please welcome Kristin Shafel Omiccioli, who blogs at my little heart melodies.

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What's the meaning behind the name of your book blog?

The title of my blog comes from one of my favorite poems, “The Dream Keeper” by Langston Hughes:

Bring me all of your dreams,
You dreamers,
Bring me all of your
Heart melodies
That I may wrap them
In a blue cloud-cloth
Away from the too-rough fingers
Of the world.

How long have you been blogging?

I just hit my four-year anniversary registered with Wordpress... although I only started being serious about regularly blogging (and blogging about books) in 2012.

Tell us a bit about your book blog. What makes it unique?

I think my blog is a little different than other book blogs because I like to include posts on my musical adventures in Kansas City, too, either about my orchestra performances or what shows/artists I've recently reviewed on KCMetropolis.org, Kansas City's online journal of the arts.

What genres do you write about most, and why?

I have been reading a lot of contemporary fiction lately, but I also really enjoy narrative non-fiction on a variety of subjects, especially music, food, travel, history, and memoirs. I love when a book will make me contemplate a topic more, whether that's just learning facts or the history of something, or contemplating an ethical, political, or sociological issue, through fiction or non-fiction.

What's your earliest memory of reading?

This is maybe not my very first memory of reading, but probably the most vivid: I devoured every single Roald Dahl book I could get my hands on in my elementary school's library. I clearly remember exactly where they were in that library—back left wall after walking in, near the windows, lower shelf—sitting on my knees browsing and trying to choose the next one to read.

What was the first book you read over and over, or the book you've reread the most?

"1984" by George Orwell. I think I read that at least 3–4 times through 8th and 9th grade... (on my own—not assigned for class!)

Writing in books: Yes or hell to the no?

No—not a fan. I don't care if other people like to write in their books, that's fine, but I won't do it. I also probably wouldn't buy a used book with markings in it. I like to form my own opinions about what I'm reading and notes from previous readers can be influential, I think.

What's your favorite place to read?

I'm not too persnickety about where exactly I read... but I do love to read outside with a cold drink in the summer, and inside curled up under a blanket with a hot drink in the winter!

Do you have any reading accessories you can't do without?

I have a lovely set of new bookmarks my husband got me last Christmas. I've used them all year!

Finish the sentence: My bookshelves are...

... mostly filled with books I haven't read yet. We just moved, and my already-read books are still packed up in storage!

My TBR pile is...

... crazy huge, but thankfully mostly digital now (hooray for Goodreads!).

What's a book that's changed your life?

Wow—heavy question! Life-changing... hmm... well I would say that reading Michael Pollan's "The Omnivore's Dilemma" opened my eyes to what and how I feed myself, and on the fiction side, "The Handmaid's Tale" hooked my heart and soul on Margaret Atwood's work.

One book you like that no one else seems to, or vice versa?

I don't think I've come across a book I like that no one else does, but a couple of books hyped as being hilarious were Bryson's "A Walk in the Woods" and Toole's "A Confederacy of Dunces" and I just didn't find them very funny... kind of mean-spirited humor to me, even. I liked Bryson's writing style and historical context in "AWitW" enough though that I finished and I'll read more by him in the future, but "Confederacy" is one of my rare DNFs.

To DNF or not to DNF?

I used to be totally against DNF, partly because I pretty much only bought books ("I spent my money, I'm going to make it worth it" mentality), and partly because I was lackadaisical about reading for fun when I was a student. But now that I'm done with school, love reading for fun, and have a backlog of TBR books, why spend the time with a book I'm not enjoying? And I am loving using the library more—less guilt for quitting a book since I didn't purchase it!

What's one book that intimidates you?

"Wuthering Heights" by Emily Brontë. Classics always intimidate me, but this one I got from my grandmother years ago—she said it was her all-time favorite—so I extra feel guilty about not reading it yet... but I keep putting it off... sigh.

If you could go to any literary destination, where would you go?

The Cemetery of Forgotten Books (fictional)—I just read Carlos Ruiz Zafón's "The Shadow of the Wind" and loved the concept of "adopting a book" from this location! Of course, Barcelona (where the book is set) would be amazing, too.

I have been to Paris once already, but would love to go back after having read Julia Child's "My Life in France," and one day for sure Ireland (I should really read Joyce's "Dubliners" first, though!).

How about non-book related hobbies? What do you do when you don't feel like reading?

Lots of stuff! I love to go out on the town with my husband and friends, visit family, travel, cook, do yoga, and go on bike rides. Otherwise, I'm a classical double bassist and play in three orchestras, and I attend/review a lot of concerts!

What's your favorite book to movie adaptation?

My favorite book-to-film adaptation is easily "The Godfather" (book by Mario Puzo, film directed by Francis Ford Coppola). I'm obsessed.

What are 3 of your must-read blogs?

The Relentless Reader
Words for Worms
The Book Wheel

What is your reading personality? (via quiz at http://www.bookbrowse.com/quiz/)

I have the "Involved Eclectic" reading personality:

You don't just love to read books, you love to read about books. For you, half the fun of reading is the thrill of the chase—discovering new books and authors, and discussing your finds with others.

You read for entertainment but also to expand your mind. You're open to new ideas and new writers, and are not wedded to a particular genre or to a limited range of authors.

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Thank you for joining us today, Kristin Shafel Omiccioli! Remember to check out Kristin's blog, my little heart melodies, and leave a comment or question.

Sibella Asher from YA Book Reviews

Today please welcome Sibella Asher, who blogs at YA Book Reviews.

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What's the meaning behind the name of your book blog?

Well I'm going to be honest here. My blog has such a boring name. The reason behind that is, the day I was making my blog, I was not feeling very creative. I just couldn't find it in me to come up with something that is clever or fun. I would change my blog name in a second if I could come up with a name that I actually liked.

How long have you been blogging?

I have been blogging for (As of Semptember 2013) a total of 9 months. 

What genres do you write about most, and why?

My blog focuses on YA books and YA books only. I only review YA books because they are my favorite EVER and they are the genre of books that I read the most.

What's your earliest memory of reading?

My earliest memory of reading is when I was about 6 or 7 years. I was given a Magic Treehouse book. I think that it was Saber-tooth at Sunset by Mary Pope Osborne. After reading that in 2 days I discovered my love of reading. :)

What was the first book you read over and over, or the book you've reread the most?

Th first book I reread was Need by Carrie Jones. I love all of the books in the Need Series.

Writing in books: Yes or hell to the no?

It's fine to write in books as long as they belong to you. If they belong to you, you can do whatever you want with them and nobody can tell you different.

Finish the sentence: My bookshelves are...

never going to be full.

My TBR pile is...

always being added to.

What's a book that's changed your life?

A book that changed my life...hmmm. Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi? It reminded me that people have very strong emotions and that people have tons of secrets that they keep well hidden inside the deepest parts of themselves.

One book you like that no one else seems to, or vice versa?

I seem to be the only one in the history of the universe that doesn't like The Maze Runner by James Dashner. It's disappointing because the book has so much hype over it because of the movie and I'm not involved in the excitement.

How about non-book related hobbies? What do you do when you don't feel like reading?

Not feeling like reading? Is that contagious? Just kidding, just kidding. When I'm not reading, I'm probably writing or drawing. 

What's your favorite book to movie adaptation?

I hated the movie adaption of Beautiful Creatures. The book was fantastic and the movie did not due it justice. They just changed so much! So much in fact that it would be almost impossible for them to make a Beautiful Darkness movie without completely changing the storyline.

What are 3 of your must-read blogs?

YA Lit Reviews From a Librarian
Pika Pages

What is your reading personality? (via quiz at http://www.bookbrowse.com/quiz/)

Exacting Reader!

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Thank you for joining us today, Sibella Asher! Remember to check out Sibella Asher's blog, YA Book Reviews, and leave a comment or question.

Book Bloggers Staying Organized

How do you stay organized as a book blogger?  Do you use specific tools, paper calendars, notebooks, or fly by the seat of your pants?  My personal favorite tools include a combination of hard copy weekly calendar, Google Calendar, and Evernote.  Let's take a quick look at how I use each one of these . . .

• Weekly Calendar:  Yes, I use a hard copy weekly calendar to keep track of my posts for my personal book blog!  Using only pencil, I write in what posts I have scheduled, what I hope to get scheduled, and map out all blogging and book related tasks to better plan accordingly.  And, of course, I only use pencil so that I can adjust easily when life gets in the way.
• Google Calendar:  Since I assist with multiple book-related blogs, the shared calendar feature (complete with color coordination) can be so helpful in scheduling posts and communicating with my fellow teammates.  In addition, I also keep track of blogging events along with my family events to get the bigger picture of what is coming my way and organize my time accordingly.
• Evernote:  This is my new favorite app!  If you have not checked it out, be sure to check out the website to see all the possibilities.  I use the free version, but sync it among my phone, personal computer, and laptop for easy access at all times.  I keep track of which reviews need to be written here, notes or ideas that come to me while out running errands, along with my own personal lists (i.e., things to do, groceries, etc.).  

With these three tools, I feel like I am quite organized!  But, I am also finding that I can always improve, so I put out a call to my fellow bloggers to find out what tools they use to stay organized, both for planning and with their time.  Here is what a couple of them had to say . . . 

Shannon from River City Reading 

I've tried several different tools in an effort to keep my blogging organized, but nothing has stuck like ToDoist. It's available on almost any platform or device you can imagine and has tons of features, many of which I haven't even scratched the surface of. Though I have the Android apps downloaded on my phone and Nook HD+, the main way I use ToDoist is through the Chrome Extension, which adds a little pop out icon to the top of my browser. I absolutely love the easy access of having my tasks right where I'm always working.

ToDoist works by having you set up larger projects, which are then filled by individual tasks. So, I set my projects as upcoming months and then work on filling in my monthly blogging tasks during that time period. Once a task is complete, you check it off and it disappears (though you can still find it, and awesome productivity statistics, in the web version). ToDoist also lets you tag your tasks into separate categories, which show up under the name. So, I'll set up a monthly project well before the month begins, which you can see in the October photo, just to remind me when books are being published during that month. Then, as I read those books and set up a date to review them by, I change the pub tag to review.

The nice thing about ToDoist is that it's really easy to customize. You can make the projects and tasks whatever you want, there are no rules - so it's just about playing around and figuring out what works for you!

Tanya of Mom's Small Victories

I recently read The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey and developed a planner of my own from a template he suggested. I adapted it for my various roles as mom (aka chef, housekeeper, educator, accountant and taxi service), wife, individual and blogger and it's color coded! Using this planner template, I create daily and weekly goals for each of my roles as well as input the Cozi appointments and commitments for the upcoming week. While much of my time is dedicated to my family, I am sure to dedicate goals and time to writing specific blog posts and networking on social media. I plan my schedule on Saturday for the following week and even copy links to recipes in the planner so it's easier for me to find them when I am ready to cook and then include them in a Small Victory Sunday post.

I print one copy to hang in the kitchen so I can stay focused on my daily tasks and check off my goals as I go along. The electronic version is maintained in Google docs so that both my husband and I can access it. If I don't accomplish a goal in the current week, it's easy enough to copy and paste the goal into the following week's planner. When it's time to work on my blog, I already have thought out what I will be writing about, it's a just matter of getting it done!

Aside from the planner in Google Docs, I also use the Cozi app and online calendar to schedule all my family's appointment. It is color coded as well and my blog has it's own color too, it's like a part of the family. I love that Cozi is accessible online and on our Android phones and that all family members can add and see appointments in the calendar. I can set reminders that are sent to everyone's email and phone when an appointment involves them. For my blog, I add the scheduled events, twitter chats and other reminders of deadlines I need to meet in the family calendar, reminders are sent to my blog's email and I can even assign a To Do list to my blog to keep a comprehensive list of my blog post ideas. The combination of my Google Docs planner and Cozi really helps ensure that I incorporate time for my blog into my busy life.

(Tanya recently shared more information on this topic, complete with a link to a blank template, over on her own site.)

Thank you to Shannon and Tanya for sharing their organizational widsom!

What tools do you use to stay organized and manage your time?  What are your best blog organizational and management tips?

Charleen from Cheap Thrills

Today please welcome Charleen, who blogs at Cheap Thrills.  Charleen is known for her reviews of thrillers, in a broad sense!

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What's the meaning behind the name of your book blog?

I decided I wanted my book blog to focus mainly on thrillers, as that's a genre that I particularly enjoy and one that seems to be underrepresented in the book blogosphere. And since I rarely purchase new books and get almost all of my reading from the library... Cheap Thrills seemed to fit.

How long have you been blogging?

I've been blogging in some form or another for years, but I started Cheap Thrills in March of this year, so I'll be coming up on my six-month blogiversary soon!

What genres do you write about most, and why?

I take "thriller" as a pretty liberal descriptor. You've got your action-movie-in-book-form kind of novels, which seems to be what most people think of when they think thriller... but really anything that has some suspense to it is fair game on my blog. I read other genres as well, but I wanted my blog to have a focus, and thriller is my go-to genre, the books I keep coming back to after I've spent some time branching out.

What's your earliest memory of reading?

Reading Are You My Mother? out loud to my little brother. I know I was reading before then -- he's five years younger than me so I was probably about seven or eight at this point -- but it's the first thing I remember. (He loved the SNORT!)

What's your favorite place to read?

A comfy chair in a quiet room.

Finish the sentence: My bookshelves are...

... woefully inadequate considering how few books I actually own.

My TBR pile is...

... an ever-evolving stack from the library.

One book you like that no one else seems to, or vice versa?

I'll give you one of each. One I like: Lost, by Gregory Maguire... it's his most unpopular book, but for me it's second only to Wicked. One I don't like: Dark Places, by Gillian Flynn... it's a well-written, well-crafted story, but it's just not for me (and I haven't even read Gone Girl because I suspect it will be more of the same).

To DNF or not to DNF?

I used to HAVE to finish every book I started, but gradually I got myself used to DNFing. I'm such a happier reader for it.

What's one book that intimidates you?

This may be cheating since it's not one book, but... the Dark Tower series by Stephen King. I really like King on the whole, even though I haven't read a ton of his work, but there've been some of his books I haven't cared for as much, and I'm scared of this series falling into that category.

If you could go to any literary destination, where would you go?

The Library of Alexandria. To visit one of the first and greatest centers of learning would be incredible, even if the original library was lost. (I don't suppose anyone has a spare time machine I could borrow...)

What are 3 of your must-read blogs?

Insatiable Booksluts
Snobbery
Words for Worms

What is your reading personality? (via quiz at http://www.bookbrowse.com/quiz/)

"Your responses show that you are both a serial reader and an eclectic reader, which indicates that you both read widely and frequently. As a serial reader you're loyal to your favorite authors, but as an eclectic reader you're also open to new ideas and new writers, and are not wedded to a particular genre."

Yup, that pretty much sums it up.

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Thank you for joining us today, Charleen! Remember to check out Charleen's blog, Cheap Thrills, and leave a comment or question.

Claire from Bitches With Books

Today please welcome Claire K., who blogs at Bitches With Books http://bitcheswithbooks.com/.



What's the meaning behind the name of your book blog?

I was listening to Bitches In Bookshops by La Shea Delaney & Annabelle Quezada and I had a sort of lightbulb moment! I had wanted to start a book blog for a while, and the name Bitches With Books really appealed to me. I know that it can be a bit misleading 'cause it's only me running the blog but I hope to open it up to other Bitches in the future!

How long have you been blogging?

About a year and it's been a hectic one to boot!

Tell us a bit about your book blog. What makes it unique?

What makes it unique? I think that... well this is weird. I don't try to be unique. Early on I tried really hard to be unique and to stand out, I did a host of literary cocktail posts, weekly lists, reviews and so on but I didn't have fun with that. So now, I just blog about what I like (which really encompasses my grad school journey, Harry Potter rants and a lot of small reviews). I guess, I'm not trying to stand out but have fun-- oh, well I serve up a lot of attitude. Bitches With Books is pretty no-nonsense and I tend to focus my reviews on books with females who kick ass.

What genres do you write about most, and why?

Young Adult is popular and fun to write about, as it's the hot genre and has a number of female characters I can relate too. I adore fantasy, academic mysteries, thrillers and Caribbean based books. I'm from The Bahamas so I try to include Caribbean books/authors.

What's your earliest memory of reading?

My earliest? I've been reading for so long but I have 2 distinct reading memories: When i was 10 and I was given my first Harry Potter book and when I was 9, when I had just moved to a new country and was lonely and a friendly soul recommended a Nancy Drew book to keep me company. Other than that, my childhood was filled with memories of the classics and Enid Blyton.

What was the first book you read over and over, or the book you've reread the most?

There isn't 1 book that I've reread the most, it's an entire series: The Harry Potter series. Every year I reread the series, and when I was younger, I read them till the next book in the series would come out. That book series has been my greatest companion to date.

Writing in books: Yes or hell to the no?

I used to be a Hell-To-The-Nawl, but now, erm, I think it's OK. In Pencil. Never pen. Please, god, never a pen.

What's your favorite place to read?

My bed. Hands down. I've tried reading on couches, chairs, sitting up, but no, my favourite way to read is flat on a bed.

Do you have any reading accessories you can't do without?

I have a stack of Harry Potter cards that I use for bookmarks, and my Kindle light is pretty kick ass because it's saved my butt in hurricanes and power outages.

Finish the sentence: My bookshelves are...

My bookshelves are nonexistant. I'm currently in the process of moving to the UK so I packed up all of my books and put them in 5 large and heavy boxes. 

My TBR pile is...

TBR pile is 1,000+ books strong. GoodReads has destroyed it, it grew from 50 books to over 500 in one night! Everyday I find at least 3 to 4 books I want to read and add that to the large pile I've got.

What's a book that's changed your life?

Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys. I'm biracial and though the protagonist isn't biracial, I related with her struggles and insecurities. She also had to contend with an umber of bi-cultural issues I relate to whole-heartedly, so it was a point of comfort and solice in my early 20s when I was struggling.

One book you like that no one else seems to, or vice versa?

What? I thought Twilight was OK. The reason I gave it such shit ratings is because Bella was a complete and utter failure. If the book featured anyone but her, I think I'd have enjoyed the series quite a bit.

To DNF or not to DNF?

DNF that bitch. I wasn't into DNF'ing but I realised quickly: Life is way to short to be stuck with something you don't enjoy. If you don't finish it and hate it, get rid of it. If you don't finish it but think it deserves another chance, put it in the TBR pile.

What's one book that intimidates you?

Anything by Ken Follet, his books are giant monoliths to historical fiction.

If you could go to any literary destination, where would you go?

Literary destination? As in, maybe doesn't exist? I was going to say Prague but I've got something better: Hogwarts + Diagon Alley. Yes. YES.

How about non-book related hobbies? What do you do when you don't feel like reading?

I'm a crafty person so I do a lot of those. I'm also going into school, so stressing about that could be considered a hobby. I'm pretty boring really, it's either reading, movies, art and crafts. Thazzit.

What's your favorite book to movie adaptation?

Eragon. Why was this travesty ever allowed to enter into fruition?

What are 3 of your must-read blogs?

• Doing Dewey
• Books Without Pictures
• The Librarian Who Doesn't Say Shhhh

What is your reading personality? (via quiz at http://www.bookbrowse.com/quiz/)

I did this and got a balance of all 4. Pah.




Thank you for joining us today, Claire! Remember to check out Claire's blog, Bitches With Books, and leave a comment or question.

Three Blogging Tools To Check Out

It's not that blogging is terribly difficult (most of the time...), but when I find some tools that are useful or make blogging easier, I want to share them! Here are three apps and websites I've stumbled across recently that have made my life just that much better:

• Lazarus (Browser add-on for Chrome, Firefox, and Safari) Has this ever happened to you: you're writing a post and you're almost done when you accidently hit a button and your post goes poof! into the internet ether. All you can do is stare at the screen in shock and horror as you silently scream. I know this has happened to me several times and it's a horrible, horrible feeling. Fortunately, there's Lazarus, which is a form recovery tool. Basically it saves anything you type into a form on your browser, which means if you accidentally hit delete, a post gets eaten when you submit it, or you hit the back button without saving, your work is still recoverable. Lazarus has saved my life more than once since I downloaded it. Also! It saves different versions of the same form, so if you're editing and decide you want to undo all your edits, you can easily go back to an earlier version.
• WordCounter.net (website and add-on for Chrome and Wordpress) I started using Word Counter for when I was writing press releases, which have very specific word count requirements (for some reason Pages, my word processing program, doesn't count words accurately). But it doesn't just count words! It has a keyword density tool to tell you how many times you use certain words, which is very useful for SEO; and it tells you your average sentence length, which can reflect the readability of your text. 
• Coffitivity (website and app for Mac, iPad, and iPhone) I actually heard about this tool from our fearless BBI team leader, Becca. Science shows that light background noise, like what you find in a coffee shop, helps people concentrate better than total silence. Coffitivity provides just such coffee shop sounds to help you think and be creative. Whenever I'm struggling to focus on my writing, I pull up this website and it really does help! They've even updated it recently so there are different types of background noise, and you can submit recordings from your own favorite places to write.

Have some blogging tools you love? Please share in the comments!

Shelleyrae from Book'd Out

Today please welcome Shelleyrae, who blogs at Book'd Out.

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What's the meaning behind the name of your book blog?

There wasn't any specific meaning when I chose it, I just wanted something with 'book' in the title - it turned out to be prophetic though - I am often booked out months in advance!

How long have you been blogging?

Three years, it doesn't seem as if it could possibly have been that long though.

Tell us a bit about your book blog. What makes it unique?

I read a a lot, around 250 books a year so I post around 5 book reviews a week, sometimes more, rarely less. Around half of the books I read and review are by Australian authors as I am an avid supporter of the Australian Women Writers Challenge and Australian authors in general. Book'd Out also hosts the annual Eclectic Reader Challenge.

What genres do you write about most, and why?

Most of what I choose to read and review is for adults and I prefer contemporary fiction. I consider myself an eclectic reader, but I tend to read a lot of general fiction, crime fiction and its various subgenres and women's fiction/chicklit. I also enjoy Urban Fantasy and the odd non fiction title. I'm willing to read anything that piques my interest though.

What's your earliest memory of reading?

My earliest memories probably involve the fortnightly visits by the mobile library. The big green bus would park just a few meters away from our house and I would spend hours in there. I was always reluctant to see it leave.

What was the first book you read over and over, or the book you've reread the most?

I rarely re-read books, though I know I read Are You There God, It's Me Margaret and Forever by Judy Blume more than once as a pre-teen.

What's your favorite place to read?

I'll read anywhere, though most often I am curled up in the corner of the lounge. 

Do you have any reading accessories you can't do without?

My Kindle Touch and my iPad - I read on both and love being able to take my books with me where ever I go.

Finish the sentence: My bookshelves are...

groaning! 

My TBR pile is...

out of control!

What's a book that's changed your life?

Every book changes my life in some way -I think every book has something to teach us.

To DNF or not to DNF?

I DNF maybe a handful of books a year - it's never an easy choice to make and I always feel irrationally guilty.

How about non-book related hobbies? What do you do when you don't feel like reading?

I watch a lot of TV... from drama's to documentary's to trashy reality shows.

What's your favorite book to movie adaptation?

I love the Anne of Green Gables mini series, I watch it whenever it's on.

What are 3 of your must-read blogs?

Giraffe Days
Kittlings Books
Alpha Reader 

What is your reading personality? (via quiz at http://www.bookbrowse.com/quiz/)

Your responses showed you fitting into three different personalities:

Involved Reader: You don't just love to read books, you love to read about books. For you, half the fun of reading is the thrill of the chase - discovering new books and authors, and discussing your finds with others.
Exacting Reader: You love books but you rarely have as much time to read as you'd like - so you're very particular about the books you choose.
Eclectic Reader: You read for entertainment but also to expand your mind. You're open to new ideas and new writers, and are not wedded to a particular genre or limited range of authors. 

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Thank you for joining us today, Shelleyrae! Remember to check out Shelleyrae's blog, Book'd Out, and leave a comment or question.